Stylespotting: Medallion Tiles

Patterned kitchen (& bathroom) tiles are coming on strong as a way to express your style in design, & I have to say, I love it! You know it’s become more mainstream when you start seeing it regularly in Instagram & Pinterest feeds. (You do have those, right?? If not, high five & I’m happy for you & your much more well-rounded life ;)) In the meantime, I’ll share some that got my juices flowing a little!

Studio McGee

Along with the rest of the internet, I love the large scale medallion tile Studio McGee featured in this kitchen. (I mostly love everything they do.) It’s not just pretty, but the kitchen itself doesn’t look that large, so the bigger scale of the tiles sort of draws your eye & makes the space appear bigger. And it also makes it softer because the ground is light with the dark pattern as opposed to the other way around. It’s the same theory behind not putting small furniture in a small room – it just emphasizes how small everything is because larger pieces draw your eye & give the room a larger feel.

Joss and Main

I am a fan of anything that adds design flair & happiness to a laundry room. I personally like laundry, but I know bazillions of people do not, at all. But doesn’t this gorgeous tile floor make it so much more appealing to spend time in there if it’s something you have to do anyway? Really, that’s all you have to have in this room (besides that yummy farmhouse sink & killer Bosch washer/dryer combo). And pretty paired with the simple subway tile on the wall.

MadAboutTheHouse

I like how they’ve used the medallion tile (& contrasting trim) in this more farmhouse style bathroom, with it’s wood (cedar?) paneled tub. That isn’t a pairing that comes instantly to mind, but it works – the feel is warm & it’s very pretty.

rosabeltrandesign

This look has a more heavily Moroccan feel, to me, but still pretty. This MIGHT be stencil, but I couldn’t find the original picture to verify so I’m just guessing based on the texture I can see in this pic. AND did you know there is an IG account, I Have This Thing With Floors? Yes. It’s people taking pictures of their feet, as shown above, on floors they love. That’s the only theme. And it’s hugely popular! Check it out for yourself.

cristinagangemi

Another pic just for credibility, ha. Clearly I’m more partial to the blues & greys in this look. The more authentic tiles do have a lot more color, more Moroccan or ethnic, as I mentioned. In these colors, they are just good style-driven looks that work in a more overall neutral color scheme without feeling theme-y. (Not that there is anything wrong with the more colorful tiles!)

Casa Haus

The smaller scale tile used on this bathroom floor is also in the context of a more Swedish farmhouse design with the wooden vanity & shiplap walls, & the ladder display detail.

My Life From Home

I really like these tiles as a bathroom backsplash. It’s like a large scale wallpaper, & again, used more in a farmhouse design scheme with the copper faucets & distressed wood mirrors above the sinks. And the grey is a perfect foil for the copper. Really pretty.

dominokitchen

We don’t seek much of this kitchen, but it looks as though this medallion tile backsplash is definitely the focal point. So it seems a good choice that it is contained in this area right behind the oven.

Cement Tile Shop

This design & color is really pretty as a backsplash at this workspace. Hard to tell if it’s part of a kitchen where it might be used in other places, or just as eye-candy in this one area. Or maybe it’s in what was once called “Her Space” in construction – do they still use that terminology?? – in it’s own designated area. (The open shelving nicely breaks up what would be a strong focal point with the tiles.) Just pretty & fresh & interesting.

tilebuys

I love this pattern, personally. It has a little bit of floral feel but still medallion so not sweet – the best of all worlds! It shows perfectly in this shower design. Love love.

New Ravenna

Oh my gosh, this is gorgeous! I would be so happy in this bathroom – & it would be too pretty just to be a powder room for me. It would have to be the bathroom I dedicated my time to! We just see a snippet, but it’s really lovely with the mix of grey & white with gold inlay.

apartmenttherapy

A tile surround on a fireplace can be a slippery slope, I think. I mean, who wants a fireplace that looks like your kitchen floor? But I think they did this one right. These medallion tiles have more of a starburst pattern to them, so that translates more easily to the fireplace. And it’s also the inset hearth, so it’s cohesive. The look is fresh & bright, & the art pulls the look together.

What about you – would you use medallion tiles in your design? If so where – kitchen, bathroom, laundry?